Family Therapy & Counselling
Supports the whole family in coping with the impact of disability, improving communication, reducing stress, and strengthening family relationships.
What Is Family Therapy?
Family therapy addresses the impact of disability on the entire family system — parents, siblings, and extended family. Having a family member with a disability affects relationships, roles, stress levels, and dynamics within the family.
A family therapist helps families communicate more effectively, manage stress and grief, support siblings, strengthen the couple relationship, navigate service systems, and build resilience. Sessions may include the whole family, subsystems (parents, siblings), or individuals within a family context.
Family therapy recognizes that supporting the family's wellbeing directly improves outcomes for the person with a disability. When the family is strong, they can better advocate, support, and care for their family member.
Who Benefits from Family Therapy?
mental health
Addresses family dynamics that may contribute to or be affected by a family member's mental health difficulties. Improves communication and reduces family conflict.
autism
Helps families adjust to diagnosis, manage sibling dynamics, reduce parental stress, and develop consistent support strategies across the family.
brain injury
Supports families through the significant adjustment after a member's brain injury, addressing grief, role changes, and evolving care needs.
What to Expect in a Session
First Session
An intake session (60-90 minutes) gathers family history, identifies concerns from each family member's perspective, and establishes goals for therapy. The therapist observes family interactions and communication patterns.
Ongoing Sessions
Sessions involve the whole family or subgroups working on communication skills, problem-solving, processing emotions, and developing strategies for managing disability-related challenges.
Your Child's Role
Each family member participates in discussions, activities, and skill practice. Everyone's perspective is valued and heard.
Caregiver's Role
Parents are active participants who learn new communication and coping strategies while also receiving support for their own wellbeing and the marital/partnership relationship.
When to Start
Early Childhood (0-5)
Family therapy can begin shortly after diagnosis to support adjustment, grief, and the development of a strong family support system from the start.
School Age (6-17)
Important when families face new challenges — school transitions, sibling difficulties, increased care demands, or caregiver burnout.
Adults (18+)
Helpful during transitions (moving to adult services, independent living) and when family members face caregiver fatigue or role changes.
General guidance: Consider family therapy whenever the stress of disability is straining family relationships, when siblings are struggling, or when parents feel overwhelmed and disconnected from each other.
| Item | Range | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Assessment | $200–$400 | Family systems assessment |
| Per Session | $150–$250 | 60-90 minutes |
| Insurance | Covered under psychology or counselling benefits; some plans cover social workers at lower rates | |
| Tax Credit | Eligible for METC when provided by a registered psychologist, social worker, or psychotherapist | |
Money-Saving Tips
- Family service agencies (e.g., Family Services of Greater Vancouver, Catholic Family Services) often offer sliding scale fees
- Registered social workers provide family therapy at significantly lower rates than psychologists
- Community mental health centres may offer family counselling at no cost for eligible families
| Province | Status | Program | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| BC | Limited | MCFD / MSP | Some family counselling available through Ministry of Children and Family Development programs; limited MSP coverage. |
| AB | Limited | Alberta Health Services | Available through AHS mental health programs and family resource centres; some community agencies offer sliding-scale fees. |
| SK | No data | — | — |
| MB | No data | — | — |
| ON | Limited | Children's Mental Health Ontario / OHIP | Available through children's mental health agencies and OHIP-covered psychiatrists; community-based family therapy is typically private-pay. |
| QC | Limited | CISSS/CIUSSS | Family counselling available through CISSS/CIUSSS youth and family programs; long waitlists in urban areas. |
| NB | No data | — | — |
| NS | No data | — | — |
| PE | No data | — | — |
| NL | No data | — | — |
| NT | No data | — | — |
| NU | No data | — | — |
| YT | No data | — | — |
Evidence & Research
Family therapy has moderate evidence for improving family functioning, reducing parental stress, and improving outcomes for children with disabilities. Research supports family-centred approaches that address the whole family system rather than focusing solely on the person with a disability.
Red Flags to Watch For
Be cautious of any provider who:
- The therapist blames parents for their child's disability or suggests the family caused the difficulties
- Sessions focus only on the person with a disability rather than addressing the whole family system
- The therapist takes sides or consistently aligns with one family member against others
- There is no recognition of the unique stressors and grief experiences of disability families
- The therapist has no experience working with families affected by disability
How to Find a Provider
- 1
Contact Family Services agencies in your area (e.g., Family Service Canada member organizations)
- 2
Ask your social worker or case manager for referrals to family therapists experienced with disability families
- 3
Search Psychology Today Canada filtering by 'family therapy' and disability experience
- 4
Check with your children's treatment centre — many offer family counselling or can refer
- 5
Contact community mental health centres that offer family therapy on a sliding scale
Conditions That Use Family Therapy
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